Cisse and Milan Baros had begun to show the first signs that their partnership could work following a slow start to the season, but without the Frenchman's firepower up front, Liverpool look set to rely on Sinama Pongolle, Harry Kewell or Neil Mellor to play alongside Baros until a suitable replacement can be found.
Benitez said: "I believe we will be looking for someone cheap and good. We are not scouting just one player, we are scouting the whole market, then we will see who is available in January."